Barangay Gabao

Classified as a small barangay, Barangay Gabao is one of the administrative divisions of Santiago in Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Region, Philippines.

According to the 2020 Philippine census, Barangay Gabao had a population of 896. This made it the 8th largest of 24 barangays in Santiago by population, placing it in the upper half of the municipality. Residents of Barangay Gabao accounted for approximately 4.60% of the total population of Santiago, which stood at 19,471 in the same census year.

The barangay recorded 813 residents in the 2015 intercensal count and 896 residents in the 2020 Census — a net change of +10.2%, consistent with a growing settlement. Barangay Gabao is officially classified as rural, a designation applied to barangays with lower population density and predominantly non-built-up land use.

Santiago is a municipality comprising 24 barangays, and serves as the governing unit directly responsible for local services in Barangay Gabao, including public health, sanitation, peace and order, and civil registration. Within the wider province of Ilocos Sur, which contains 768 barangays across its component cities and municipalities, Barangay Gabao ranks 312th by 2020 population. Ilocos Sur is classified as a 1st by the Bureau of Local Government Finance, a category that reflects the province's annual regular income.

The barangay's legislative and executive affairs are handled by a Punong Barangay and the Sangguniang Barangay, elected nationwide during the Barangay and SK Elections. The next BSKE is scheduled for Monday, November 2, 2026, following the synchronized election schedule set by COMELEC Resolution No. 11191.